The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-25

plan of organized emigration. lie rea.
soned out that organized free labor
could easily overthrow organized slave
labor. He perceived the necessity for
an organized, self.sacridcng emigra-
ton to Kansas, which would hold that
state against the encroachments OF the
slave power He maiured his plan,
and longed for an opportunity to test
its soundness before n public audience.
On March II, 1854, that opportunity
was afforded him by the citizens Of
Worcester. who met to protest against
the repeal Of the Missouri compromise.
Eli Thaver was among the speakers,
and unfolded his plan for colonizing
Kansas. Ii was enthusiastically re.
ceived, and all doubts were removed
from Mr. Thayer's mind of the popu-
larity and practicability of his plan.
He went before the Legislature and
asked for n charter for the Massachu-
sets Emigrant Aid company.
He secured as corporators TIE names
of Benjamin G. Clark. Isaac Livcrmorc,
Charles Allen, Isaac Davis, William G.
Bates, Stephen c. Phillips, Charles C..
Hazewell, Alexander H. Bullock, Hen.
~ w lson, James S Whitney. Samuel
G. Howe, James Holland, Moses Kim
ball, James ID. Green, Francis W. Bird,
Otis Clapp, Arson Burlingame, Eli
Thay en- and Otis Rich. OF these orig
inai corporators only two are now liv-
ing, Frank W. Bird of Walpolc and Ell
Thayer of Worcester.
When Mr. Thayer advocated charter.
ing the Emigrant Aid company there
was not a man IN either branch of the
leg stature who took any stock in the
project. The late Judge Colt was
cha rman of The judiciary committee,
and of the colonization scheme he said:
1--WE all regard it rs utterly futile and
impracticable Here you are fifteen
hundred miles from Kansas. The Mis-
souri, shareholders are Just over the
line, and can undo N n day ali you can
do in Il year. You propose to take
Immigrants over millions of acres OF
better lands than there is in Kansas,
where they can have peace and plenty,
and you propose TO put them in Kansas
at the risk of losing life and property,
and with the necessity of contending
for both against the bowe-knife and
revolver of border ruilians."
Thayer replied: Give me this char
ter and you will never see another
slave state organized in this union. -
And he was right
The capital stock of the company
was originally fixed at $4,000 and
as soon rs 81 ,000, 600 was subscribed il
was proposed to collect an assess
mcnt Of per cent, for the operations
of 1854 Subsequently the l"ovis ms
of the charter proved unsatisfactory Il.
some of the parties interested. and OF!
June ~ the company organized under
private articles of association and en-
trusted the arrangement of affairs to
the trustees-Amos Lawrence, Eli
Thayer and j. NJ. 5. Williams Of Cam
bridge Eli Thayer was the real mo-
tive of the movement. however. Upon
him Gevolved tho duty of exciting and
directing public sentiment in favor of
the plan, and of collecting subscriptions
and organizing, auxiliary emigrant
aid companies in the other New Eng
land states and in New York. In tho
prosecution of this work Mr.. Thayer
travelled over 80, 600 miles. speaking in
every available place. He addressed
the farmers OF New hampshire and
Vermont, the lumbcrmen of northern
maine, the merchants of New York,
and the mechanics and and business
men of the manufacturing centers of
New England.
Of his campaigning Mr.. Thayer tells
numerous :Hiacdotes, one of which is
that when he WAS addressing an add
cnce upon the colonization of Kansas.
in the vestry Of Henry Ward Beecher's
church-haying been invited by the
great preacher to do so,-before the
meeting was opened the Plymouth pas
tor said; ''now. Thayer, when allud-
ing TO border ruaians don't be afraid to
talk as you feel II you want to say
damn say damn"
ut another time the company found
themselves in need of funds. and 1.-THE
king of popular sovereignty" "a title